Slicing machine



June 5, 1934. w. J. CAMPBELL SLICING MACHINE Filed March ll, 1932 5.Sheets-Sheet l fnyen 02 wf/ffm J5@ 5 Sheets-Sheet 2,

i. L ILI l June 5, 1934. Wl J. CAMPBELL SLICING MACHINE Filed March ll,1952 June 5, 1934. w. J, CAMPBELL 1,961,959

SLICING MACHINE Filed March l1. 1,232 5 SheetSSheet 3 fnl/enfer June 5,1934.

W. J. CAMPBELL SLICING MACHINE Filed March 1l, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 W.J. CAMPBELL SLICING MACHINE June 5, 1934.

Filed March ll 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 50 radially spaced screws C111.

Patented June 5, 1934 UNETED STATES PATENT OFFICE SLICING MACHINEApplication March 11, 1932, Serial No. 598,131

17 Claims.

My invention relates to an improvement in slicing machines and has forone purpose the provision of a slicing machine which shall be light,small, and easy to handle but which shall p have the efficiency, speedand capacity of considerably larger machines. Another purpose is theprovision of an improvement in gauge plate adjustment and operation fora slicing machine. Other objects will appear from time to time in thecourse of the specification and claims.

I illustrate my invention more or less diagrammatically in theaccompanying drawings, where- 1n- Figure l is a plan View with parts inhorizontal section, taken along the line l--l of Figure 2;

Figure 2 is a front elevation;

Figure 3 is an end elevation;

Figure 4 is a partial planview similar to Figure l, illustrating thegauge plate adjusting V2() mechanism in a diiierent position;

Figure 5 is an enlarged section along the line 5-5 of Figure 4, and

Figure 6 is a section along the line 6-6 of Figure 5.

Referring to the drawings, A generally indicates any suitable basehaving anti-vibrational pads or supports A1 which rest upon any suitablesupporting surface A2 for example a counter or the like.

B indicates a motor housing mounted on the base A. B1 is the motor shaftand B2 a pulley on the shaft about which passes a belt B3.

C indicates a housing extension projecting upwardly from the base A.Formed integrally with it is a flared sleeve C1 terminating rearwardlyin a generally cylindrical portion C2. Positioned within the portion C2,the details of which form no part of the present invention and are notindicated herein, is any suitable bearing means for 40 the knife shaftC3 on which is mounted a pulley C4 and the knife C5. As will be seen forexample in Figure 1 the pulley is positioned within and is housed by themember C1 but the cutting edge of the knife C5 extends outwardly beyondit as at C5, the rear face of the knife being notched or recessed as atC7 to receive and overlap the outer edge of the member C1. Any suitablemeans may be employed to hold knife and pulley in place, for example theaxial screw C9 and the The knife may be removed from the knife shaft,while leaving the pulley in place, by removing the screw C9. The pulleymay be removed by loosening the screws C10. C12 indicates an end wall ofthe upward housing projection C and C13 the rear wall. As is (Cl.14S-102) shown in Figure 1, the rear wall is apertured as at C14 topermit the passage therethrough of the motor shaft B1 and of a portionof the motor housing B.

The forward face of the upstanding housing member C is closed as by theguard plate generally indicated as E. As is shown in Figure 1 the axisof the knife is slightly tilted to permit the arcuate edge El of theguard plate to penetrate a forward hollow E2 of the knife and to liesubstantially flush with the very slightly bowed cutting plane definedby the cutting edge of the knife. The guard plate carries a scraper E3secured thereon in any suitable manner, for example by the adjustingscrew E1. The details of the scraper do not of themselves form part ofthe present invention. The lower edge of the guard plate is notched asat E5 E5 to seat upon supporting pins E5 which may be screwthreaded foradjustment into the portion of the base or frame to which they aresecured. The plate E is outwardly offset at top and bottom as at E13 E11in order to permit the arcuate edge E1 to penetrate the forward hollowof the knife C5.

Positioned on the base, and forwardly of the knife, are the tracks H H1,the outer tracks H1 being for example mounted on outwardly extendingarms H2. Movable along said tracks is a carriage member generallyindicated as H3 which includes track engaging members HA1 H5. Mounted onthe carriage H3 is the work receiving member which includes a mainportion H5 downwardly inclined forwardly toward the knife when the partsare in the position shown in Figure 2. At the lower edge is an angle H7at right angles thereto, and with the rounded upper edge portion H3. Theportion of the member H6 adjacent the cutting plane extends outwardly asa't H9 to terminate in the roller edge H10. The outer portion terminatesas at H11. H12 indicates a guide pin mounted on the carriage andterminating in a tapered portion H13, a rounded enlargement H11 andavnal taper H15. The maximum diameter of the portion H1l1 issubstantially the same as the maximum diameter of the body of the pin orshaft H12.

J indicates a pusher plate having the handle J1 and forward workengaging pins or points J2. Extending rearwardly from the handle is thearm J3 which terminates in a sleeve J4 adapted to ride on the pin orguide H12. It will be understood that the arm J3 is of sufficient lengthto clear the portion H9 of the work receiving member H6. The taper H13and the outer tapered member H15 permit the sleeve J1 readily to beapplied to or withdrawn from the pin H12, with no initial cramping orjamming. This is an advantage in permitting the ready and quickapplication of or removal of the pusher plate assembly. The handle J1 isprovided with an upwardly extending rib J5, as illustrated in Figures land 2. J6 indicates a fiber washer secured to the lower edge of thepusher plate J, and in slidable relationship with the work receivingmember H5.

Positioned to the rear of the cutting plane is any suitable slicereceiving tray, normally fixed in position, indicated as K. It isupwardly extended at one end as at K1 and is also upwardly extendedforwardly as at K2. It may be removed, but is normally locked inposition in relation to the slicing machine assembly. The forward edgeK2 is herein indicated as terminating along a rectilinear horizontalplane as at K2.

L indicates a gauge plate support or bracket which extends rearwardly asat L1 and has a gauge plate L2 secured thereto as by the screws L9. Itwill be seen, as in Figure 3, that the extreme lower edge of the gaugeplate L2 engages and is secured to the rearward horizontal extension L1of the support L. L1 is an inclined guide rod for the gauge plateassembly which may be mounted as in the securing sleeves L5 L5. L6 is asimilar but shorter guiding rod. The two rods L1 L6 are parallel and thebearing sleeves L7, L5 are so located that the rods L1 L6 may move inunison and in parallel. They are connected by the cross member L11 towhich the gauge plate supporting member L may be secured as by thescrews L9. It will be understood that in order to permit adjustment ofthe gauge plate support or bracket L in relation to the cross member L8the screws L9 are made to pass through apertures in the member L9,indicated as L1o in Figure 3, which are of suiiicient diameter to permitL to be adjusted in relation to L2. Thus L may be adjusted endwise ortransversely in relation to L2 or may be somewhat rotated or tilted inrelation to L2.

In order to move the gauge plate assembly toward and away from thecutting plane I provide a control lever M pivoted as at M1 and having anouter manual control handle M2, and a pointer M3 movable along thearcuate indicating table M4 which is calibrated as at M5 or providedwith a plurality of numbered or indicated marks to determine the desiredsetting of the gauge plate referring to the position of the parts asshown in Figure 5. This movement tends to thrust a wedge M9 into oragainst a segmental wedge receiving trough M19, which trough is securedto the frame as by screws M11. The wedge M9 is secured to the lever M6by a plurality of links M12. Therefore, when the device is in the fullline position of Figure 5 the spring Ms holds the handle M2 and theassociated lever structure against rotation, whereby unintended changesof adjustment of the gauge plate are prevented. In using the device theoperator has merely to thrust down slightly on the handle M2, moving itinto the dotted line position of Figure 5, compressing the spring M8 andreleasing the wedge M9 from the locking segment M19. M19 is any suitableabutment herein shown as an adjusting screw whereby the limit of thepermitted manual movement of the handle M2 and the lever MG iscontrolled.

j M11 is any suitable plate positioned on the bottom of the frame whichmay have for effect to limit the downward movement of the leverstructure as a whole in case there is any play or loosening oi the leverin relation to its pivot M1. M15 are limit members adapted to engagebosses M1G on the frame or on depending webs M17 of the frame, wherebythe are of movement of the lever M and the handle M2 may be limited andadjusted.

The actual movement of the gauge plate in response to rotation of thelever M is obtained as follows. The lever M is provided with aprojecting wing O to which are bolted or otherwise secured the arms O1to the outwardly extending ends of which are pivoted links O2 which inturn are pivoted to the shoulder O4 of the bolt O3 which passes throughthe shaft L4 previously described. O5 is a slack take-up springconnecting the shoulder Ol1 with the members O1. It has for its functionto take up the lost motion between the gauge plate guide rod L4 and theoperating lever M. It will be understood that the arms O1 are adjustablein relation to the projecting wing O. For example, if the handle M2 isin the position in which it is shown in Figure 1 with the pointer atZero, the gauge plate must also be at the zero position or at itsclosest approach to the cutting plane. The screws or bolts O9 may beslacked oli" and the arms O1 are adjusted into the desired position,when the screws or bolts are then tightened to hold the arms permanentlyin their proper adjustment. It will be understood that the apertures 01through which pass the bolts O6 are of somewhat greater diameter thanthe bolts, suiiiciently so to permit whatever degree of adjustment isnecessary.

It will be realized that whereas I have described and shown a practicaland operative device, nevertheless many changes might be made in thesize, shape, number and disposition of parts without departing from thespirit of my invention. I therefore wish my description and drawings tobe taken as in a broad sense illustrative and diagrammatic rather thanas limiting me to my specific showing.

The use and operation of my invention are as follows:

The structure herein described and shown forms a light, easily operatedand efhcient slicing machine of the manual feed type, in which therotary knife C5 is rotated at relatively high speed by electric motormeans. The carriage H3 is guided by the tracks Il H1, but the carriageis moved manually by the hand of the operator. Mounted on the carriagefor movement along a path preferably at right angles to the cuttingplane is the pusher plate J, which is also manually operated. Forexample, the operator may grasp with his hand the sleeve J4, the arm J2or the handle H1. By thrusting forwardly along the cutting plane andsomewhat inwardly toward the cutting plane the work is thrust intoeffective contact with the forward face of the gauge plate L2. Acontinuation of the inclined thrust carries the carriage and the work,properly gauged, against the cutting edge of the knife C5. The slice iscut and falls upon the slice receiving tray K. The work meanwhilecontinues across the face of the guard plate E until the work has beenentirely carried past the cutting edge and the slice has been severed.The operator then manually withdraws the carriage and repeats hisinclined thrust for the ensuing stroke and slice.

In the gauge plate control structure herein shown the operator sets thegauge plate for any desired thickness of slice by merely moving thehandle M2 and the pointer M3 along the segment M4. As closer regulationis desired for the ner slices, and the ability to cut thin slices ofvarying thinness, I have so disposed the lever M and its associatedparts that the initial movement causes a minimum movement of the gaugeplate L2. As the handle is moved downwardly, referring to the positionsof Jthe parts in Figure 1 the further movement of the handle and lever Mcauses a constantly increasing movement of the gauge plate L2. In otherwords, a movement of one notch or space at the initial end of thesegment M5 causes a corresponding movement of the gauge plate L2 whichis quite slight. The movement of the handle M through a similar arctoward the end of the scale of the segment M5 causes a much greatermovement of the gauge plate L2. This disposition is highly advantageous,as it is at the narrow end of the scale that precise regulation of thethickness of the slices in most important.

I claim:

1. In a slicing machine including a base, a knife mounted thereon andmeans for actuating it, and a gauge plate, means for actuating theYgauge plate, including a thrust plunger mounted within said base,guiding means for constraining said thrust plunger and gauge plate tomovement along a predetermined path and means for moving said thrustplunger, including a lever pivoted for rotation, in said base, about avertical axis, said lever including a handle portion extending outwardlythrough one side of the base, the base being provided with a 'generallyhorizontal aperture to permit movement of said handle portion, and alink connection belween said lever and said thrust plunger.

2. In a slicing machine including a base, a knife mounted thereon andmeans for actuating it, and a gauge plate, means for actuating the gaugeplate, including a thrust plunger mounted within said base, guidingmeans for constraining said thrust plunger and gauge plate to movementalong a predetermined path and means for moving said thrust plunger,including a lever pivoted for rotation, in said base, and a connectionbetween said lever and said thrust plunger, including an additionallever member rigid in relation to the rst mentioned lever and a flexibleconnection between said second lever member and the thrust plunger.

3. In a slicing machine including a base, a knife mounted thereon andmeans for actuating it, and a gauge plate, means for actuating the gaugeplate, including a thrust plunger mounted within said base, guidingmeans for constraining said thrust plunger and gauge plate to movementalong a predetermined path and means for moving said thrust plunger,including a lever pivoted for rotation, in said base, and a connec-`tion between said lever and said thrust plunger, including an additionallever member rigid in relation to the first mentioned lever and a linkconnection between said second lever member and the thrust plunger.

4. In a slicing machine including a base, a knife mounted thereon andmeans for actuating it, and a gauge plate, means for actuating the gaugeplate, including a thrust plunger mounted within said base, guidingmeans for constraining said thrust plunger and gauge plate to movementalong a predetermined path and means for moving said thrust plunger,including a lever' pivoted for rotation, in said base, and a connectionbetween said lever and said thrust plunger, including an additionallever member rigid in relation to the first mentioned lever and a linkconnection between said second lever member and the thrust plunger, anda spring interposed bef,- tween said thrust plunger and said secondlever member.

5. In a slicing machine including a base, a knife mounted thereon andmeans for actuating it, and a gauge plate, means for actuating the gaugeplate, including a thrust plunger mounted 'within said base, guidingmeans for constraining said thrust plunger and gauge plate to movementalong a predetermined path and means for moving said thrust plunger,including a lever pivoted for rotation, in said base, and a connectionbetween said lever and said thrust plunger, and frictional brake meansadapted positively to hold the lever against unintended movement whenreleased, said frictional brake means being nor mally at all timesoperative to hold the lever against movement, and vmeans for moving saidfrictional brake means into inoperative position.

6. In a slicing machine including a base, a knife mounted thereon andmeans for actuating it, and a gauge plate, means for actuating the gaugeplate, including a thrust member, guiding means for constraining saidthrust member and gauge plate to movement along a predetermined path andmeans for moving said thrust member, including a lever pivoted forrotation, on said base, and a connection between said lever and saidthrust member, and brake means adapted positively to hold the leveragainst unintended movement when released, said brake means ine cludinga brake band mounted on the base and an opposed brake member mounted onthe lever and means tending normally to hold said braking members inbraking relationship.

'l'. In a slicing machine including a base, a knife mounted thereon andmeans for actuating it, and a gauge plate, means for actuating the`gauge plate, including a thrust member, guiding means for constrainingsaid thrust member and gauge plate to movement along a predeterminedpath and means for moving said thrust member, including a lever pivotedfor rotation, on said base, and a connection between said lever and saidthrust member, said lever being provided with a handle portion movablein relation to the lever, a brake member on the base, an opposed brakemember on the handle portion and means tending normally to hold saidopposed mem,- bers in braking relationship.

8. In a slicing machine including a base, a knife mounted thereon andmeans for actuating it, and a gauge plate, means for actuating the gaugeplate, including a thrust member, guiding means for constraining saidthrust member and gauge plate to movement along a predetermined path andmeans for moving said thrust member, including a lever pivoted forrotation, on said base, and a connection between said lever and saidthrust member, said lever being provided with a handle portion movablein relation to the lever, a brake member on the base, an opposed brakemember on the handle portion and means tending normally to hold saidopposed members in braking relationship, including yielding meanstending to rotate the handle portion in relation to the lever.

9. In a slicing machine including a base, a knife mounted thereon andmeans for actuating it, and a gauge plate, means for actuating the gaugeplate, including a thrust member, guiding means for constraining saidthrust member and gauge plate to movement along a predetermined path andmeans for moving said thrust member, including a lever pivoted forrotation, on said base, and a connection between said lever and saidthrust member, said lever being provided with a handle portion movablein relation to the lever, an arcuate brake member on the base, anopposed brake member on the handle portion and means tending normally tohold said opposed members in braking relationship.

10. In a slicing machine including a base, a knife mounted thereon andmeans for actuating it, and a gauge plate, means for actuating the gaugeplate, including a thrust member, guiding means for constraining saidthrust member and gauge plate to movement along a predetermined path andmeans for moving said thrust member, including a lever pivoted forrotation, on said base, and a connection between said lever and saidthrust member, said lever being provided with a handle portion movablein relation to the lever, an arcuate brake trough on the base, anopposed brake member on the handle portion, and means tending normallyto move said brake member into wedging contact with the brake trough.

11. A slicing machine including a base, a knife thereon and means foractuating it, and a carriage and means for guiding the carriage past thecutting edge of the knife, a gauge plate and means for actuating it,including a lever rotatably mounted within the base about a generallyperpendicular axis, and an actuating connection between said lever andthe gauge plate including a link pivoted to said lever, a member pivotedto said link and a connection between said member and the gauge plateand yielding wear take-up means interposed between said lever and saidmember.

12. A slicing machine including a base, a knife thereon and means foractuating it, and a carriage and means for guiding the carriage past thecutting edge of the knife, a gauge plate and means for actuating it,including a lever rotatably mounted within the base, and an actuatingconnection between said lever and the gauge plate, said lever beingmounted for movement about a generally vertical axis, and means spacedfrom said axis for restricting movement of said lever to its normalplane of rotation, and a handle member, extending exteriorly of thebase, said handle member being pivoted to said lever for rotation inrelation to the lever about an axis transverse to the axis of rotationof said lever.

13. In a slicing machine including a base, and a knife and means foractuating it, a carriage and means for guiding the carriage past thecutting edge of the knife, and a gauge plate and means for actuating thegauge plate including a compound lever structure said compound leverstructure being mounted for rotation as a whole about a generallyvertical axis and including a main lever member rotatable about saidaxis and a supplemental member, and a connection between the main memberof said lever structure and the gauge plate, the supplemental member ofsaid lever structure being rotatable about a horizontal axis in relationto the main member and means for limiting relative rotation of said twolever elements.

14. In a slicing machine including a base, and a knife and means foractuating it, a carriage and means for guiding the carriage past thecutting edge of the knife, and a gauge plate and means for actuating thegauge plate including a compound lever structure said compound leverstructure being mounted for rotation as a whole about a generallyvertical axis and including a main lever member rotatable about saidaxis and a supplemental member, and a connection between the main memberof said lever structure and the gauge plate, the supplemental member ofsaid lever structure being rotatable about a horizontal axis in relationto the main member, and adjustable means for limiting relative rotationof said two lever elements.

15. A slicing machine including a base, a knife thereon and means foractuating it, a carriage and means for guiding the carriage past thecutting edge of the knife, a slice receiving member on the base, a gaugeplate and means for actuating it, including a lever mounted beneath theslice receiving member for rotation about a perpendicular axis, a wingnormally fixed on the lever, and offset from the handle portion thereof,a connection member adjustable on said wing, a gauge plate actuatingplunger associated with the gauge plate, and a link pivoted to saidconnecting member and to said plunger.

16. A slicing machine including a base, a knife thereon and means foractuating it, a carriage and means for guiding the carriage past thecutting edge of the knife, a slice receiving member on the base, a gaugeplate and means for actuating it including a lever pivoted beneath theslice receiving member for rotation about a generally vertical axis, aplunger member and a connection between said plunger member and thegauge plate and an adjustment member intermediate said plunger memberand lever, adapted to adjust the position of the gauge plate in relationto any predetermined position of the lever, and a link connectionbetween the plunger member and the lever, the link connection and theadjustment member being operatively connected.

17. In a slicing machine including a base, and a knife and means foractuating it, a carriage and means for guiding the carriage past thecutting edge of the knife, and a gauge plate and means for actuating thegauge plate including a compound lever structure, said compound leverstructure being mounted for rotation as a whole about a generallyvertical axis and including a main lever member rotatable about saidaxis and a supplemental member, and a connection between the main memberof said lever structure and the gauge plate, the supplemental member ofsaid lever structure being rotatable about a horizontal axis in relationto the main member and means for limiting relative rotation of said twolever elements, and a brake member associated with the supplementallever member and an additional brake member, fixed on the base, to whichit is opposed.

WILLIAM J. CAMPBELL.

